Aircraft pilots often maneuver an aircraft while on the ground. This may happen during ground operations such as when the aircraft is taxiing, being maneuvered to or from a hangar, or to or from a terminal.
Obstacles on the ground, such as structures, other vehicles and other obstacles, may lie in the path of the aircraft. These obstacles can be detected by the pilot via line of sight. However, in many instances, due to the dimensions of the aircraft (e.g., large wing sweep angles, distance from cockpit to wingtip) and the pilot's limited field of view, it can be difficult to monitor extremes of the aircraft during ground operations. As a result, the operator may fail to detect obstacles that are located in “blind spots” in proximity to the aircraft. In many cases, the pilot may not detect an obstacle until it is too late to take corrective action. To alleviate this, many aircraft include active sensors or cameras or to sense potential or imminent strikes.
Collisions with an obstacle can not only damage the aircraft, but can also put the aircraft out of service and result in flight cancellations. The costs associated with the repair and grounding of an aircraft are significant. As such, the timely detection and avoidance of obstacles that lie in the ground path of a vehicle is an important issue that needs to be addressed.
Currently, there is no economical system available to protect aircraft from wingtip strikes. As aircraft increase in size, the probability and cost of a strike incident increases. Therefore, there is a need for a system that can be retro-fitted onto aircraft with a minimum of effort, and that does not rely on active sensors or flight crew personnel. The present invention addresses at least this need.